Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Broken ❯ Broken ( Chapter 1 )

 

 

“I don't think we should see each other anymore.”

 

The words hung in the evening air as Tohru stared at him, speechless, as they sat on the grass a few yards away from Shigure's house.. They had been together for weeks, and Yuki had enjoyed every moment of it. They hadn't even tried to hide their relationship at first, as other members of the zodiac tended to do. Now, more than anything, Yuki wished they had.

 

Those few weeks had been spent happily, carefree. Days seemed to fly by like seconds. Yuki hadn't been happier in his life. He'd never felt so loved, so full of joy, so wanted, needed. Tohru was that caring person he'd always dreamt about, her heart that warm place. Their affection for each other was apparent everywhere; at home, on the streets, at school. Both attracted jealous glances; Yuki from the boys, and Tohru from the girls. They were the perfect couple in school, the one that every girl looked at and wished that she could be in such a wonderful relationship. Not that Tohru hadn't received some harassment. His fan club members had tried to scare her away from him, but as usual, her friends were right beside her to back her up when she needed it. Their lives were perfect, and Yuki couldn't have asked for more.

 

But all good things had to end. Akito found out, and summoned Yuki. Yuki had knelt before the deity, trying hard to have the courage to stand up to him, for once. The fear, that never ending pit of fear Yuki had towards Akito still resided deep within him, and Akito knew that.

 

He had started out quietly, telling Yuki what he had heard, giving him slight glances. Yuki tried to keep his face passive, his emotions hidden. He did not want to give away his fear just yet. Akito fed on fear; if he could just pretend to be brave, make Akito believe he wasn't scared, that his word had no power, perhaps, just maybe, everything would turn out okay.

 

Akito hadn't fallen for it. He approached Yuki and crouched in front of him. Yuki kept his eyes down, refusing to look at his superior. If he did, Akito would surely see the fear in his eyes.

 

“You and Tohru…. I will not allow it.”

 

“No.” His own words surprised him. He wanted to appear brave, but to openly defy Akito was suicide.

 

He could hear Akito's slight growl. “There is no option, Yuki,” he snarled. “You will cut it off with her immediately.”

 

Yuki swallowed. He couldn't give in just yet. He had to fight in some way, some not so apparent way. “I…I have to be with her….I love her.”

 

With his head down, Yuki hadn't seen the blow coming. The back of Akito's hand fiercely struck his cheek, knocking him off balance. He fell backwards, onto his palms, looking up at Akito even though he knew his fear was so plainly shown in his eyes.

 

“You do not love her,” Akito hissed, towering over him. “Those feelings are to be reserved for me, and only for me. You will go home tonight, and you will tell her it's over.”

 

“No.”

 

There it was, that one word, that one word that could mean dozens of injuries, dozens of wounds inside and out. But he was desperate; Tohru was all he truly had, and to lose her meant losing himself.

 

A swift kick in the stomach had Yuki bent over, gasping and wheezing for breath. It hurt, but maybe if he took enough, maybe….

 

“You will tell her!”

 

“…No….”

 

Another kick, and then one more. Yuki had cowered into a ball, that pit of fear rising, growing as memories of past beatings played in his head. He swallowed them down, or at least tried to. The fear would never disappear, never. But, he wouldn't let it overcome him. He'd stay in control, he wouldn't let Akito win, and he wouldn't let Tohru slip away.

 

He tried to stand, but another blow sent him flying, leaving him sprawled on the floor. Yuki coughed, gasping, tasting blood in his mouth.

 

“Do you really think you can go against my orders?” Akito snapped. “Have you forgotten everything about that room? Do you need me to-” Yuki let out a sharp cry as he was kicked once more in the gut. “- reeducate you?”

 

The deity crouched beside the rat, and forcefully yanked his head up by the hair, nearly pulling his hair out as well.

 

“You will do this,” he said calmly, as though he hadn't just attacked Yuki, hadn't been yelling at him, “or I will reeducate her…let her know what it truly means to be a Sohma, to be among the Sohma's.”

 

Yuki's eyes widened. He couldn't let Tohru get hurt, couldn't stand the thought of her in any pain. “N-no, Akito, you-you…”

 

“Then do as I say, Yuki.” His tight grip on Yuki's grey hair had been replaced by calm strokes, his fingers weaving through his cousin's hair, sending unpleasant chills down Yuki's spine. “That's all I ask of you, and I do ask for so little.” The stroking paused. “But, do not forget that you belong to me. Do not let this little episode happen again, Yuki.”

 

Yuki had held back as long as he could before caving in, and nodded. The deity's eyes had stared down at his, waiting for, and expecting a reply, and the only acceptable reply was yes. Yes, Akito was all he wanted to hear, and all he would allow. So many times, moreso when he was younger, Yuki had tried to go against him, tried to do what he wanted, but it always ended up with Akito gaining the answer he wanted, and Yuki with multiple injuries.

 

And now, he was breaking up with Tohru, just like Akito wanted him to. He was too cowardly to tell the truth, to tell Tohru that he was too weak to stand up to Akito for her. Living with her, that would be the hardest part. Seeing her every day, her seeing him…. The only way to keep them from ever getting back together was to hurt her so badly she wouldn't want to return to him.

 

“But…but why?” Tohru stammered. She was upset, obviously, and hurt.

 

“We…. It's not working out, us together.” That was a lie. They were wonderful together, every moment they shared was wonderful, everyone said they were the `perfect' couple. “It…it seems like we're drifting.” Another lie. Another boldfaced lie.

 

“I…I thought everything was fine…. Was it something I did?”

 

At the look on her face, Yuki wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms, hold her, and tell her he was just joking around, that he didn't want to break up, and that she could never do anything wrong. But, that wasn't an option. He had to hurt her…and so he shut his heart away as he began to speak.

 

“Of course it's something you did,” he said, half-snapping, and almost winced at her reactions, at his words. All ready she looked as though she was about to cry. “You-you're so clingy, and you're an airhead! You're almost as bad to be around as that stupid cat!”

 

“Yuki,” Tohru whispered, her lip trembling. “Why are you saying this?”

 

“Because I can't stand being around you anymore!” Lie. “I hate that stupid smile you always wear!” Lie. It never failed to cheer him up, never. “I hate how naïve you are!” Lie. Her obliviousness to the world around her, the surroundings and just the way life is, it always appealed to him. It was as though she was still a young girl, just experiencing everything and loving it all. “I hate everything about you!” The biggest lie of all.

 

It killed Yuki to see her face grow redder and redder as she tried and failed to hold back tears. She sniffled, a tear tracing it's way down her cheek. One more push…one more push and he'd lose her, lose everything.

 

“I-I thought…. It thought you-you loved me.”

 

Yuki swallowed, swallowed his own tears, his heart. “How could ever I love somebody like you?”

 

That had done it. The tears took over Tohru; she bent double, head in her hands, her whole body shaking with sobs. It killed Yuki, to just sit beside her while she cried tears he had caused, and to not be able to do anything about it. He stood up, going against his heart, which screamed at him to go back at comfort her, and walked to the house.

 

Akito had gotten his way, again. There was another broken heart, another broken boy because of him.